The skinny: Elvis Costello is often credited with coining the phrase that â€œwriting about music is like dancing about architecture.â€ That analogy proves particularly apropos in the case of Portugal. The Man. This small-town Alaskan band, named after an entire European country, makes music that defies easy categorization. During its SXSW set, the group swirled like a cyclone through an amazing number of different styles _ from jam-rock and indie-pop to modern experimentalism and heady funk. The common thread, however, is a spacey take on the blues that should appeal to lava-lamp lovers everywhere.